State Sen. Paul Cicarella (R-34) released a statement on April 24 following the passage of H.B. 5044, known as An Act Establishing Connecticut Vaccine Standards.
The bill’s approval comes after significant public attention and debate. According to Cicarella, many residents attended a March 11 hearing at the Legislative Office Building to express their opinions about the proposal, with some waiting all day for an opportunity to speak.
“That was a clear and unmistakable message from the public,” Cicarella said in his statement. He said that despite this response and concerns raised by families across Connecticut, the bill moved forward: “That should concern everyone.”
Cicarella said he takes his responsibility to constituents seriously and listens to those he represents: “When you see this level of public opposition, you have to question why we are moving forward anyway.” He argued that the proposal removes decision-making power from families and gives it to government officials: “Parents, not the state, should be making decisions about their children’s health alongside their doctors.”
He also expressed concerns about expanding government authority through provisions that grant significant power to a state Commissioner: “That is a serious expansion of government power.” Drawing on personal experience, Cicarella noted his wife is a nurse and they made healthcare decisions together for their own children as a family.
Cicarella emphasized that his stance is not about being for or against vaccines but rather about who makes healthcare decisions for children. He concluded by saying: “We can protect public health without stripping away personal responsibility and parental rights. Those principles should not be in conflict… They deserved more than to be heard. They deserved to be taken seriously.”
